Students Warm Up to Caring
El Morro Elementary School’s second annual One Warm Coat Drive collected over 700 coats for the Laguna Relief and Resource Center.
The month-long coat drive was part of the El Morro’s Character Counts program that focuses on teaching students about six pillars of good character: responsibility, trustworthiness, citizenship, caring, fairness and respect. December’s pillar is “caring,” and El Morro students truly demonstrated this virtue by delivering a record number of coats.
“I’m very, very proud of our students,” said Principal Chris Duddy. “The 700 coats they collected will certainly make a difference to many people this winter.”
Photo courtesy Faye Chapman
Some recipients of donated coats.
Offering Temporary Shelter
Laguna Beach resident Michael La Vasani continues to see unmet needs among the homeless in our community and is making an appeal for blankets and warm clothing.
“I will be delighted to go to collect whatever my neighbors can contribute,” said La Vasani, who said he worked professionally as an airline pilot but has also operated shelters for children and abused women in Africa.
La Vasani this year established the Shiniwa Foundation, based in Murrietta, an international relief organization, according to Guidestar.org, a database of philanthropies. An orphan who grew up in Nepal, La Vasani gave the organization as well as an unpublished memoir the name given him by monks. It means “burning sun.”
Donors can reach him at (949) 715-9940 or by email, [email protected].
